Stolen
by Ivypool
Summary: During Into the Wild, four kits were snatched from the ThunderClan nursery. In the books, those kits were found and returned. But what if they hadn't? Read as Brokenstar remains in control of ShadowClan, and Brightkit, Cinderkit, Thornkit, and Brackenkit grow up under his powerful reign. How will Warrior history be changed?
1. Chapter 1

"Don't waste your time, apprentice!" Brokenstar spat furiously at the young, ginger tom in front of him. Around them, the battle had quieted. Cats had abandon their fights to turn and watch. Fueled by their support, Brokenstar snarled, "I've shared dreams with StarClan. You will have to kill me nine times over before I join them. Do you really think you're strong enough for that?"

The ginger apprentice only stood there, tail lashing defiantly despite the flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. Around them, cats began to break away from the ThunderClan warriors. Brokenstar growled with satisfaction as his Clan began to rally behind him. He didn't even have to turn around to know they were there, stalking to his side and hissing and snarling their support. Glaring back at the ThunderClan cats mixed with the ShadowClan rebels, he knew he was outnumbered.

But when did that ever stop him?

He turned his head slightly each way, looking at the warriors flanking him on both sides. Their eyes shown with hatred, and their claws were unsheathed, ready for another round of battle. Confidently, Brokenstar lifted his chin and yowled, "ShadowClan, attack!"

Around him, his warriors leaped forward. Though half-starved and bloodied already, they dove head first back into battle. Brokenstar watched, tail lashing with a sense of achievement. Oh, has he trained them well!

"The kits!" A yowl split the air, and Brokenstar swung around to see that a brown ThunderClan warrior and a gray apprentice were digging furiously at where the stolen ThunderClan kits had been stashed.

With a furious battle cry, Brokenstar leaped after them and launched straight into the brown warrior's side. He sank his claws into her shoulder, and hulled her away from the pit. She yowled in pain, and thrashed wildly beneath his paws. He heard the apprentice yowl in a mixture of fear and rage, telling Brokenstar that one of his warriors stopped him from reaching the kits as well.

The brown warrior, who he now recognized to be Mousefur, had wriggled around her get her hind legs up and was painfully ranking his belly. He leaped off her, shoving her farther into the dirt as he did so, and twisted in the air to land neatly beside her. Mousefur, till struggling to stand, was easy to pin down. He stood over her powerfully and raised one paw to land one blow after another on her ears.

"ThunderClan retreat!" He heard Whitestorm howl above the vicious fighting. In this moment, Mousefur managed to wriggle out from under his paws and flee the camp with her Clanmates. Brokenstar hissed with rage, but let her go.

The ThunderClan warriors raced from the camp. It took him a few heartbeats to realize that there were more cats were running than just ThunderClan. A new round of rage hit him as he saw the traitors begin to flee as well.

"Stop them!" He roared.

At once, his warriors leaped forward. Clawface and Boulder tackled two of the traitors. Wetpaw had pounded forward to help as well, and sank his claws into one of the traitor's flank, but the warrior turned and lashed the apprentice across the face. Wetpaw was left bloody and howling as the warrior fled from the camp.

Brokenstar stalked forward to where Clawface and Boulder were struggling to hold down the captured rebels. As he towered over them, they fell still with fear. Ashfur and Dawncloud, he recognized easily. They stared up at him with wide, terrified eyes, their faces still pressed into the dirt by the loyal warriors holding them down.

His powerful growl turned into a nasty purr as he crouched down to eye level with the traitors. "Well, well, well..." he purred at their fear, "What are we going to do with you?" He straightened abruptly, and growled to his warriors. "Kill them."


	2. Chapter 2

_Allegiances Notes-_

 _1\. In the books, Bluestar was known for giving apprentices their warrior names only after proving themselves worthy. Firestar and Graystripe got their names after after saving the kits, while Sandstorm and Dustpelt had to wait for another chance to prove themselves. Because the rescue mission failed however, Firestar and Graystripe did not receive their warriors names, and they had to come up with a lie for their injuries._

 _2\. Nightpelt was the only escaping ShadowClan warrior, and has joined ThunderClan. Bluestar questioned him thoroughly, and was not pleased when he refused to give away much information on ShadowClan's current condition. However, he was allowed to stay. Bluestar does not trust him, and neither does most of the Clan. So far, he is only allowed on hunting patrols, and border patrols along the Twoleg place._

 _3\. WindClan and RiverClan both have so few cats because that is how it is in the books. I tried to take cats who randomly appear throughout the first series to add to the number, but it hasn't added much._

 _4\. I did list kits in the allegiances, though this is more for my own benefit. It not only helps with keeping track of characters better, but it also shows the true number of cats in a Clan. Later in the story, I will be updating the allegiances, and will also list kits then too._

 **THUNDERCLAN**

Leader: Bluestar- blue-gray she-cat, tinged with silver around her muzzle. _Apprentice: Firepaw_

Deputy: Tigerclaw- big dark brown tabby tom with unusually long front claws. _Apprentice: Graypaw_

Medicine Cat: Yellowfang- old dark gray she-cat with a broad, flattened face, formerly ShadowClan.

Warriors: Whitestrorm- big white tom. _Apprentice: Sandpaw_

Nightpelt- old black tom.

Darkstripe- sleek black-and-gray tabby tom. _Apprentice: Dustpaw_

Longtail- pale tabby tom with dark black stripes.

Runningwind- swift tabby tom.

Willowpelt- very pale gray she-cat with unusual blue eyes.

Mousefur- small dusky brown she-cat.

Apprentices: Dustpaw- dark brown tabby tom.

Graypaw- long-haired solid gray tom.

Sandpaw- pale ginger she-cat.

Firepaw- handsome ginger tom.

Swiftpaw- black-and-white tom.

Queens: Frostfur- beautiful white coat and blue eyes.

Brindleface- pretty tabby.

Goldenflower- pale ginger coat.

Speckletail- pale tabby, and the oldest nursery queen.

Kits: Swiftkit- black-and-white tom.

Fernkit- pale gray (with darker flecks) she-cat, green eyes.

Ashkit- pale gray (with darker flecks) tom, dark blue eyes.

Elders: Halftail- big dark brown tabby tom with part of his tail missing.

Smallear- gray tom with very small ears. The oldest tom in ThunderClan.

Patchpelt- small black-and-white tom.

One-eye- pale gray she-cat, the oldest cat in ThunderClan. Virtually blind and deaf.

Dappletail- once-pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with a lovely dappled coat.

 **SHADOWCLAN**

Leader: Brokenstar- long-haired dark brown tabby.

Deputy: Blackfoot- large white tom with huge jet-black paws.

Medicine Cat: Runningnose- small gray-and-white tom.

Warriors: Stumpytail- brown tabby tom. _Apprentice: Brownpaw_

Boulder- silver tabby tom.

Clawface- battle-scarred brown tom.

Cinderfur- thin gray tom.

Brightflower- black-and-white she-cat.

Wetfoot- gray tabby tom. _Apprentice: Oakpaw_

Littlecloud- very small tabby tom.

Apprentices: Brownpaw- brown tabby tom.

Oakpaw- small brown tom.

Queens: Darkflower- black she-cat.

Tallpoppy- long-legged light brown tabby she-cat.

Kits: Cinderkit- dark gray she-cat.

Brackenkit- goldenbrown tabby tom.

Thornkit- golden brown tabby tom.

Brightkit- she-cat, white with ginger splotches.

 **WINDCLAN**

Leader: Tallstar- a black-and-white tom with a very long tail.

Deputy: Deadfoot- a black tom with a twisted paw.

Medicine Cat: Barkface- a short-tailed brown tom.

Warriors: Mudclaw- a mottled dark brown tom. _Apprentice: Webpaw_

Tornear- a tabby tom. _Apprentice: Runningpaw_

Onewhisker- a young brown tabby tom. _Apprentice: Whitepaw_

Apprentices: Webpaw- dark gray tabby tom.

Runningpaw- light gray tabby she-cat.

Whitepaw- small white she-cat.

Queens: Ashfoot- a gray queen.

Morningflower- a tortoiseshell queen.

Kits: Gorsekit- short brown tabby tom.

 **RIVERCLAN**

Leader: Crookedstar- a huge light-colored tabby with a twisted jaw.

Deputy: Leopardfur- unusually spotted golden tabby she-cat.

Medicine Cat: Mudfur- long-haired light brown tom.

Warriors: Blackclaw- smoky black tom. _Apprentice: Heavypaw_

Stonefur- a gray tom with battle-scarred ears. _Apprentice: Shadepaw_

Loudbelly- a dark brown tom. _Apprentice: Silverpaw_

Silverstream- a pretty slender silver tabby.

Whiteclaw- a dark warrior.

Apprentices: Heavypaw- thickset tabby tom.

Shadepaw- very dark gray she-cat.

Queens: Mistyfoot- dark gray she-cat.

Elders: Graypool- thin gray she-cat with patchy fur and a scarred muzzle.

 **CATS OUTSIDE CLANS**

Barley- black-and-white tom who lives on a farm close to the forest.

Ravenpaw-sleek black cat with a white-tipped tail who lives on the farm with Barley.

* * *

"The warriors are back!"

"They brought prey!"

Brackenkit found himself standing alone in the nursery entrance as his littermates pounded ahead of him. They crowded around the returning cats, bouncing with uncontrollable excitement and badgered them with questions. He stood there, watching with an empty feeling as the warriors stepped past the kits and deposited their kills onto the meager fresh-kill pile.

He knew that they had not been a hunting patrol by the looks of their prey. Cinderfur and Boulder were carrying a half-squashed rabbit, which stank of the Thunderpath, and Wetfoot was offering the smallest raven Brackenkit had ever seen. The warriors looked down at the prey with mixtures of unconcern and disgust. Boulder turned and padded away, likely in search of Brokenstar, but Cinderfur and Wetfoot shared an unhappy look.

"Let's take this back for Tallpoppy and Darkflower to share," Cinderkit poked at a toad that had been laying there all morning, abandoned because it was was old and weak, without much meat. "Tallpoppy said frogs are her favorite!"

"That's a toad though, not a frog." Thornkit pointed out, but picked it up in his jaws either way. With Brightkit's help, the three kits proudly walked back to the nursery. Brackenkit stepped out of the way to let them past. He ducked under the thorn bush and followed them into the den.

Inside, he found Tallpoppy grooming herself while Darkflower rested fitfully. Tallpoppy looked up, pelt still partially ruffled, as the four kits entered the den. Her eyes fell on the toad, and she purred, "Oh, is this for me?"

Brackenkit always liked Tallpoppy more than Darkflower, he thought, though he saw the queens equally as his mother. Tallpoppy had a much softer voice than Darkflower, who had a sharp tongue and short temper. They had both shared responsibility over Brackenkit and his littermates though, and he knew they had both nursed and groomed them equally when they were younger. Even now, with Darkflower expecting a litter of her own, they still shared the responsibility of watching them during the day.

Thornkit struggled to nod under the weight of the prey. He set it down beside her nest and flicked his tail proudly, "We carried it all the way from the fresh-kill pile just for you."

Tallpoppy reached down to lick him between the ears lovingly. "That is great, Thornkit." she praised, "But I think you four should share it. Your apprentice ceremony is today, and you need to feel strong for your first day out of camp."

Brightkit looked worried though, not yet stepping forward to dig into the prey, like Thornkit and Cinderkit did. "You didn't eat yesterday or today though." She looked up at the queen. "Aren't you hungry?"

Brackenkit, though stepping forward to join his littermates and get his share of the prey, kept an eye on Tallpoppy. Brightkit was right, he realized. The last thing he'd seen the queen eat was a small finch, which was two days ago and she had shared with Darkflower.

The queen blinked down at Brightkit, "The finch I had fed me well." She lied, "Eat your share, Brokenstar will be ready for you soon."

With that, Brightkit hurried forward to squeeze in beside her littermates and get the scraps that she could. Brackenkit sat back to give her more room and licked his lips as he backed away. Toads and frogs were definitely not his favorite, he thought with a grimace. They were stringy and chewy and flavorless. He thought that he'd much rather prefer mouse- if he had the chance that is. He had scented mouse only once, and it had made his mouth water. Sadly, it hadn't even placed on the fresh-kill pile for him to even attempt to swipe. Clawface had carried it directly to the leaders den instead.

When the prey was devoured, Thornkit and Cinderkit quickly broke out into a play-fight. They tumbled and pounced around the nursery, stumbling over the nests and pushing past Brackenkit in an effort to race away from each other. With a playful growl, Brightkit joined the fight.

Brackenkit had no energy to join in on their games though. They were about to be apprenticed in just a few moments, and his belly was so nervous he began to regret eating his share. How was his littermates not nervous to get their mentors? They fake-snarled and purred with joy as the wrestled one another without a care in the world. He sat quietly and watched Tallpoppy pitifully sniff the left over remains of the toad, and lick up the scraps off the abandoned bones and torn skin.

Finally, there was a call from outside the den. _"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Clanrock for a Clan meeting!"_

His littermates paused from their game and looked at each other with realization. Here it was! They were about to become apprentices. Tallpoppy stood with a sweep of her tail and began to herd them out of the den. "Go on," she spoke softly, though her twitching tail revealed her unease. "You don't want to leave Brokenstar waiting."

The four kits nodded and left the den to see that the entire Clan was at the corner of the camp, where a large boulder jutted from the ground. Brokenstar stood proudly atop it, his tail lashing as the warriors emerged from their dens and settled in a small huddle below him. His gaze shifted from the hungry cats to the small kits in the entrance to the nursery.

"It is time," he began, his powerful voice ringing off the camp walls, "for another apprenticeship ceremony. It is times like this when I see how strong our Clan is becoming. No other Clan can rival our growing strength." His paused to look over his silent Clan, "Come forward, kits! You have become three moons old, and it is time for you to be apprenticed."

Brackenkit watched his littermates leap forward and pad to the base of the Clanrock. He shuffled a pawstep behind them, and stood with not nearly the same excitement as the others as he stared upwards at his leader. How were they so excited? A trill of fear fluttered in his belly as he felt the stares of his Clanmates on his pelt. Which one of them would soon become his mentor?

Brokenstar leaped down from the rock, and came to stand in front of the four. He was even more powerful up close, with his ragged dark pelt, his face crisscrossed with old scars, and his torn ears showing the hardships of battle. His orange eyes sized them up approvingly before turning his chin up to speak to their ancestors above.

"Cinderkit, Thornkit, Brightkit, and Brackenkit, you have all reached the age of three moons and are ready to be apprenticed." Brokenstar spoke confidently, "From this day until onward, until you receive your warrior names, you shall be known as Cinderpaw, Thornpaw, Brightpaw, and Brackenpaw." He turned and scanned the gathered cats now, as if in search of someone. "Brightflower," the black-and-white warrior stepped forward at the mention of her name, "you shall be mentor of Cinderpaw. Teach her everything you know."

Brackenpaw's own nervously distracted him from the ceremony. Though he watched each mentor step forward, and heard Brokenstar's booming words, his racing mind made no sense of it. His breaths started to come quickly, but right as his paws itched to turn and flee back to the nursery, the sound of his name cleared his mind.

"... Brackenpaw. You are a powerful and trustworthy mentor, and I know you will pass on your skills to your apprentice."

Brackenpaw blinked as he realize that he had completely missed the name of his mentor. To his relief however, he saw a warrior weaving his way through the crowd towards him. Clawface! The brown warrior reached down to touch noses with him, and Brackenpaw took in a shaky breath as they touched for a heartbeat. As they pulled away, he turned to look back at his littermates.

They had already gotten their mentors too, it seemed. Cinderpaw stood beside Brightflower, while Thornpaw sat proudly beside Boulder, and Brightpaw was speaking softly with Littlecloud. Brackenpaw turned back to his own mentor with mixed feelings. Clawface was a great warrior, he tried to tell himself, but he was a scary one too. The scars on his face revealed fierce battles, and Brackenpaw knew that he would have to train hard to impress such a great warrior.

Brokenstar began to close the ceremony. "Once again," he announced loudly, "ShadowClan has continued to grow, and all in thanks to our warrior ancestors. We look forward to our next apprenticeships and warriors. Let us thank them for our strength."


End file.
